Moving to Samoa from Solomon Islands

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Solomon Islands to Samoa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Solomon Islands to Samoa.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Solomon Islands to Samoa.

Living there in 2020
8 ↓ 20% vs 2015

people born in Solomon Islands live in Samoa · UN DESA

Who's moving to Samoa?

Top countries of origin for Samoa's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Samoa compared to Solomon Islands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

per 100,000 people per year

SB
3.7
WS
6.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SB
11.2
WS
9.6

Solomon Islands generally does better on safety, though Samoa leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SB
$153
WS
$474
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SB
1.9
WS
5.5

Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Solomon Islands leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SB
57.0
WS
34.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SB
0.4t
WS
1.6t

Solomon Islands generally does better on environment, though Samoa leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SB
0.1
WS
0.8
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

SB
36.0%
WS
78.0%

Samoa performs significantly better than Solomon Islands across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SB
1.6%
WS
9.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SB
$2,700
WS
$6,000

Solomon Islands generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SB
76.7 yrs
WS
75.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SB
20.0
WS
17.0

Solomon Islands generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in infant mortality.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Honiara Rain: 129.5 in/yr (3290 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Apia Rain: 116.7 in/yr (2965 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Honiara Apia
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (29°/22°C) 85°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 87°/74°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Honiara Apia
Jan 87°/75°F (30.6°/23.8°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C)
Feb 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.8°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C)
Mar 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C)
Apr 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.5°C) 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C)
May 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 86°/73°F (29.9°/22.9°C) 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C)
Jul 85°/72°F (29.3°/22.5°C) 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C)
Aug 85°/72°F (29.4°/22.3°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C)
Sep 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.6°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C)
Oct 86°/73°F (30.1°/22.8°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C)
Dec 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)

Data: Solomon Islands Meteorological Service Solomon Islands Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Solomon Islands and Samoa. To live, work, or study long-term in Samoa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Samoa's immigration authority.

Solomon Islands passport

Solomon Islands passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Solomon Islands passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Samoa.
Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Solomon Islands

Visa on Arrival
Samoa passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Solomon Islands.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Samoa?

Connectivity is usually fine (Samoa: 0.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Samoa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Samoa safe for expats?

Solomon Islands generally does better on safety, though Samoa leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.7 in Solomon Islands.

How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Solomon Islands?

Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Solomon Islands leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Samoa, compared to 1.9 in Solomon Islands. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Solomon Islands: 47).

What's the weather like in Samoa compared to Solomon Islands?

The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 86°F in Honiara. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while Honiara gets 129.5 in.

What language do they speak in Samoa?

The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In Solomon Islands, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

SB WS
Population 702,694 206,179
Currency Solomon Islands Dollar (SBD) Samoan Tala (WST)
Languages English English, Samoan
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +677 +685
Time zones 1 1